Internship Searching for Students Studying Abroad

Going abroad in the Spring? Don’t forget to create a Summer internship plan before you take off! Here are 3 actions steps you can take to get started:

Personal Branding

Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Profile When starting any internship or job search, it is important to ensure your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profiles are updated and relevant. Review your resume (use the professional resume format) and LinkedIn and add any new experiences that represent the skills and knowledge you have gained both in and out of the classroom. A cover letter draft is also valuable to have on hand so that you can customize it for multiple applications that you may be completing.

Attend Career Lab

While you are on campus this semester, visit our Career Lab for assistance with your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile. Career Lab is open Monday - Friday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm in Maginnes 500. No appointments are necessary! Our team of Career Interns are extremely helpful when developing and proofing your application materials.

Begin Applying on Handshake

We may only be in the Fall semester, but companies across all industries are already posting internship positions for next summer! We don’t want you to miss out on an opportunity that could be of interest to you. The Jobs tab on Handshake has a “save your search” job alert feature that notifies you when a new opportunity is added that matches your search criteria. We highly recommend that you spend a few minutes creating a handful of job alerts on Handshake using a variety of keywords and phrases that will capture positions you may be interested in.

After you’ve taken the steps above, continue making progress on your summer internship search by utilizing the following strategies:

1. Target Specific Organizations

Do you know organizations you would like to intern for? Research if they have posted internships on Handshake or their website, and be sure to check for application deadlines. If there is an organization that hasn't posted internships, reach out via email or phone to inquire about their timelines for internship postings. You can also use Buzzfile.com/major/employers-by-major to generate a list of companies by industry type and geographic location to target for your search!

2. Network to Uncover Opportunities

As you begin to understand the types of opportunities and organizations you would like to intern with, it is valuable to connect with Lehigh Alumni who work for these organizations. Tap into the Lehigh alumni network through Lehigh Connects and the LinkedIn alumni tool.We recommend that you schedule informational interviews with alumni to learn more about the application process, ask questions about interview preparation, and request any general advice for applying to positions in your industry. Check out the Networking Questions to Ask blog post for examples of valuable questions you can ask.

3. Explore Resources on Interstride

If you’re interested in taking your study abroad experience to the next level by completing an internship overseas (why wait until the Summer, right?), you have to check out Interstride! Interstride is a one-stop-shop for anyone looking for global opportunities. Students can search for international jobs and internships, explore country insights, and find helpful recommendations for experiential learning all in one portal.

The career center is here to support you!

While you are abroad (and even as you prepare for your trip this Winter) you can still take advantage of the resources and services available to you through the Center for Career & Professional Development:

Career Resource Library: Our career resource library is located in Handshake and provides comprehensive guides and action steps for every major career topic including resumes, cover letters, career exploration, interviewing, LinkedIn, digital portfolios, job/internship searching, salary negotiation, pre-health, pre-grad, and pre-law. This is a great place to begin if you have career questions because it helps you get a solid understanding of your topic of interest.

Want to talk strategy with a career coach? Schedule a zoom or phone appointment! To coordinate a time to meet, contact you career coach via email and let them know you are studying abroad:

• College of Arts & Sciences – Jashanae Day (jadd22@lehigh.edu)

• College of Business – Jenn Abraham (jla322@lehigh.edu)

• College of Engineering – Bill Burden (wib221@lehigh.edu)

• College of Health – Lisa Keller (lmk219@lehigh.edu)

• Graduate Students – Ali Erk (alse98@lehigh.edu)

• Pre-Health, Pre-Law, Pre-Grad School – Autumn Moser (aum221@lehigh.edu)